I chose 6962 for this loco because of the above photo running locally on the former PRSL tracks. This is also Overland OMI1740. I now have 3 of the 15 “most correct for Conrail” version SD40-2. Friends own 4 more of them. For many years what seemed to be the rarest loco in S Scale has surfaced for sale a few times in the past 1-2 years. This was the first of 4 SD40-2 I bought starting in 2022. For this one painted for Burlington Northern the paint job was fine as a 2 footer. But I don’t and will not model Burlington Northern. It was bought to become Conrail so the paint had to go. I will not buy a SD40-2 or GP38-2 with a paint job I would keep. There is just too much work that has to be done before paint. Photos were taken as received 7-1-22.

Handrail Repair

The handrails are 1 of the biggest issues with the SD40-2. They have cold solder joints and very little solder that makes the stanchions come off. I add extra solder to the backs of the stanchions. It is barely noticeable once painted but even it if was the extra solder keeps the model together. I use Oatey all purpose liquid flux with what was Radio Shack solder. I put a drop of flux and cut a piece of solder about 1/32 long – not much is needed. Hit it with some good heat and the solder just flows to where it is needed.

Conrail Equipment Box

This is my first loco using the equipment box I designed in Solidworks. Shapeways made and had it cast for me. You can’t always depend on 1 coming to you buying a 40 year old used loco. The Overland extra detail parts bags are almost always missing by now. It is available for sale here in my Shapeways store. Also showing the horn and antenna location.

Updated 12-13-23

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